Johnson City Times

The Milligan University baseball team rounded out the Clash of Conferences tournament with a 4-0 record on opening weekend including a doubleheader sweep over WVU Tech on Sunday Afternoon. The Buffs won game one by a score of 9-2 and game two by a score of 12-1.

MILLIGAN 9, WVU TECH 2

Following a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, the Buffs jumped out to a two-run lead in the home half of the inning. Brandon Marello began with a double into right center and Braden Spano picked up an RBI on a ground ball to give Milligan a 1-0 lead with two outs. In the next at bat, Anthony Guzman crushed a home run over the center field wall to put the Buffs up by two runs.

In the bottom of the third, Milligan added two more runs on three hits and one WVU error. After a line out to center to begin the inning, Caleb Berry beat out a hard-hit ball to third base for an infield single then stole second. Spano then singled to right field to drive in Berry for the first run of the inning.

Angel Lobo lined a pitch to left field in the next at-bat to give Milligan two runners on with two outs. Spano came around to score for the inning's second run after the Golden Bear first baseman had a ball go off the tip of the glove in what would have been a groundout to end the third.

WVU Tech scored its only two runs of the ballgame in the top of the fourth inning on a line-drive home run that just cleared the top of the wall in right field.

Milligan responded with a big inning offensively scoring five runs on five hits and one error from the Golden Bears. Andrew Mathias drew a walk to leadoff the bottom half of the fourth before a throwing error moved two Buffs' baserunners into scoring position. Spano, continuing his outstanding weekend at the plate, blasted a three-run home run over the left field wall to give Milligan a four-run advantage.

Guzman followed the home run with a base on balls then back-to-back singles from Angel Lobo and Logan Hullette loaded the bases for Milligan with one out. Josh Lail then drove in Guzman and Lobo with a missile over the outstretched arm of the Golden Bear center fielder to make it a 9-2 ball game after four.

Vicente Mendoza came on in relief of Marello in the fifth and surrendered no runs, no hits, one walk while striking out five over a two-inning stretch. Marello was solid in his first start of the season with five innings pitched, four hits, two runs to go along with nine strikeouts.

Spano was responsible for five of the Buffs' eight RBIs with a three-for-four day at the plate that included a three-run homerun in the fourth. Berry and Lobo also had two hits apiece in the contest and accounted for three runs scored.

MILLIGAN 12, WVU TECH 1

WVU Tech was the first team on the board in game two as they used a walk and two singles to plate their first and only run of the ballgame. Cade Carpenter was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam with a huge strikeout to end the inning.

The Buffs threatened in the bottom half of the inning with two baserunners in scoring position but with two outs, they were unable to push across any runs.

Milligan climbed out in front in the bottom half of the third as Spano blasted a three-run home run deep over the right field wall to put the Buffs on top 3-0. 

After a quiet fourth and fifth, the Milligan offense exploded for nine runs on seven hits and three Golden Bear errors in the home half of the sixth.

Following an error to begin the bottom half, Berry absolutely crushed his first of two home runs in the inning with a two-RBI blast far beyond the wall in left field. Back-to-back one-out base hits from Lobo and Jack Sutton ensued as a WVU error in the outfield led to another Buffalo run crossing the plate. Marello and Casey Haire then hit consecutive singles to center field that cleared the bases once again and gave Milligan a 9-1 with one out.

Guzman layed a perfect two-out bunt down the third-baseline for a hit to give the Buffs one runner on with Berry making his way to the plate. Berry, in the next at bat, mashed an absolute moonshot over left center field to give Milligan a 12-1 lead and essentially put the game away.

Chance Hall made his first appearance season and proceeded to strike out the first two WVU hitters in addition to a ground out to second base to end the game. The final stat-line for Elliot was three innings pitched, three hits and one run while striking out seven. Creed Werker was great in relief with three innings pitched, one hit, and one strikeout.

Berry accounted for five RBIs to go along with two homeruns and two runs scored to lead Milligan offensively. Spano added three RBIs and a hit while Guzman finished the day two-for-three and two runs scored.

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